Unique Things to Do for Black History Month in Atlanta
Published January 16, 2025
In January, we celebrate the birthday and contributions of Atlanta native Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with MLK Jr. Day on Jan. 20. Then in February, we celebrate Black History Month. Here are a few ideas of things to do during Black History Month in Atlanta.
Stroll Down Auburn Avenue
The Sweet Auburn neighborhood once was the center of cultural, spiritual and business life for Black Atlanta, and Auburn Avenue once was known as “the richest Negro Street in the world.” Visit Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Walk in the footsteps of those who came before us on Auburn Avenue, and see the Black and brown-owned businesses that are helping to revitalize the area. Use this Auburn Avenue itinerary as a guide.
Where: Start at the Auburn Avenue Research Library at 101 Auburn Ave. NE, head across the street to the APEX Museum, then make your way down to For Keeps Bookstore before heading to the MLK birth home.
Celebrate at Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Children’s Museum of Atlanta celebrates Black history. Celebrate MLK Day all weekend long from Saturday, Jan. 18 through Monday, Jan. 20. In partnership with the National Center for Civil & Human Rights, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Markell Williams, kids and their adults will learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.- his message of hope on acceptance. In February, the museum hosts Black Futures Month- a celebration of Black leaders that are making a difference in our world today.
Where: 275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW
Hammonds House Presents Sacred Space: Brandywine Workshop & Archives Exhibition
Hammonds House Museum launches its 2025 exhibition season with “Sacred Space: Brandywine Workshop and Archives.” The exhibition is set to open on Friday, January 24th.
The exhibition invites viewers to explore the significant intersection of printmaking, cultural heritage, and spiritual practice. This exhibition, reimagined for the historic Hammonds House Museum, celebrates over five decades of artistic alchemy fostered by the Brandywine Workshop and Archives, while honoring the rich cultural tapestry of the American South.
Where: 503 Peeples St. SW
Dine at a Black-owned Restaurant
Atlanta is home to lots of popular Black-owned restaurants. Black History Month is the perfect time to try one or more.
Immerse Yourself in Attractions
For more glimpses into Black history, visit the Madam CJ Walker Museum/WERD Radio, celebrating both America’s first female self-made millionaire (which inspired the Netflix series “Self Made,” starring Octavia Spencer) and the first Black-owned radio station. Visit the APEX Museum to learn about the people of the African Diaspora.. See works by artists of African descent at the Hammonds House Museum.
The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History is a special library of the Fulton County Library System, the first public library in the Southeast to offer specialized reference and archival collections dedicated to the study and research of African American culture and history and of other peoples of African descent.
The Wren’s Nest is the former home of author and journalist Joel Chandler Harris, and the Trap Music Museum centers around the Trap Music culture and features a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces in honor of some of hip-hop’s most iconic Trap Music stars.
Where: Madame CJ Walker/WERD Radio, 54 Hilliard St. NE
APEX Museum, 135 Auburn Ave. NE
Hammonds House Museum, 503 Peeples St. SW
Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Ave. NE
Trap Music Museum, 630 Travis St. NW
Wren’s Nest, 1050 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW
Support Black-owned Businesses
The Village Retail at Ponce City Market features goods from Black entrepreneurs. Shop for jewelry, clothing, home decor, accessories, and health and wellness items.
Where: The Village Retail is inside Ponce City Market at 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE
Explore African American Stories at Oakland Cemetery
Historic Oakland Foundation offers free tours of Oakland’s historic African American Burial Grounds this February. From the inception of Atlanta’s municipal cemetery in 1850, the burial grounds for enslaved and free African Americans were, by custom and by law, separate from the other sections of the cemetery. In 1852, soon after Oakland was established, the Atlanta City Council ruled that the enslaved were to be buried on the eastern extremity of the property, apart from the public burial grounds, and this area became known as Slave Square. As the cemetery expanded over the years, the eastern boundary line moved further east and consequently, the graves of many African Americans were exhumed and moved, some of them twice, to where they now lie in an area adjacent to Paupers Grounds.
Where: 248 Oakland Ave SE
Experience Author Talks at Atlanta History Center
Atlanta History Center features Author Talks every month where guests get the opportunity to dive into the minds of some of the most prominent authors in the city.
On Feb. 4, the Atlanta History Center will be in conversation with Victoria Christopher Murray, the author of Harlem Rhapsody. Harlem Rhapsody follows the story of the woman who sparked the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance.
On Feb. 9, Atlanta History Center welcomes Daniel Black, the author of Isaac’s Song. Isaac’s Song is an emotional masterpiece following a young, queer Black man finding himself in 1980s Chicago.
Where: 130 W Paces Ferry Road NW
Browse a Bookstore
For Keeps Bookstore on Auburn Avenue is your stop for Black rare and classic books. The store also sells merchandise including shirts and bags, and you can get gift cards. The inventory at 44th & 3rd Bookseller is created to bring to customers books that represent the richness, diversity and genius of Black expression and the collective and individual history of the Black experience.
Where: For Keeps Bookstore, 171 Auburn Ave.; 44th & 3rd Bookseller, 451 Lee St. SW
See Exhibits at Atlanta Airport
If you are traveling by air, leave some time before your departure or after your arrival to tour the civil rights exhibits at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find “Good Trouble: A Tribute to Congressman John Lewis,” in the Domestic Terminal atrium. There is a display about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. near the escalators on Concourse E.
A 400-foot-long display between concourses B and C is titled “A Walk Through Atlanta History.” It uses graphics, videos and 3D exhibits, and includes eight videos, all covering the city’s history starting with the pre-colonial era and the Native Americans who called this section of Georgia home, the Civil War including the Battle of Atlanta and the burning of Atlanta; Reconstruction; the rise of the Black Sweet Auburn District; segregation; and Atlanta’s appearance on the global stage as the host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Where: 6000 North Terminal Parkway
Planning a trip to Atlanta? Take a look at our 2-Day Itinerary for Exploring Black-owned Atlanta.
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